Unredeemable
by CaitlinNicole
Summary: When Harry Potter is captured by Draco Malfoy for Voldemort, is it an opportunity for both boys to gain happiness and freedom, or is Draco unredeemable? Mild slash. Please Review.


**Unredeemable**

Following Malfoy was most possibly the worst idea he'd had in a long time, Harry Potter decided as he was tightly bound to a wooden chair in an empty classroom, long after curfew. He'd followed Malfoy there, moving as quietly and stealthily as he could. The blond however, had heard him, and before Harry could react, he'd been cursed to remain still, and tied to the chair. Harry had been so concerned about what Malfoy was up to that he hadn't even realised Malfoy had known he was following all along.

Truthfully, Harry hadn't stood a chance against the crafty Slytherin, and that's what he was most upset about. That, and of course, the fact that Malfoy was going to send him to Voldemort.

"Malfoy, please, don't do it," Harry pleaded as the Slytherin tied him down roughly.

Malfoy simply turned around and backhanded him. Harry's neck snapped around, but he ignored the pain. "Shut up, Potter. This has been coming to you for years now."

Harry stared at him. "Honestly, Malfoy, you don't expect me to believe you'd hand me over to Voldemort, do you? You're not one of his followers. You don't even believe in his cause. He's the reason why you're

father is in Azkaban, and you and your mother have to deal with the Ministry raids -"

The blond turned back to Harry. "_You're _the reason my father is imprisoned, and the reason my mother and I have to put up with the Ministry confiscating valuable heirlooms from us!" he snarled, aggressively moving towards Harry, who squirmed back unconsciously.

"That's not true, and you know it," Harry replied. "You're father is in Azkaban because he chose to follow Voldemort. And I'm willing to bet that you'll end up there too, if you don't follow the _right _path."

"Oh, and I suppose you know what the _right path _is, don't you Potter? Because you know absolutely everything, and you're _always right._ Well you know _nothing, _Potter! I have to do this as an assignment for the Dark Lord, because otherwise, he'll kill my mother! And, it doesn't matter if I succeed or fail, I'll end up dead anyway! I have no choice!"

"You can go to Dumbledore!" Harry urged. "He'd help you, he wouldn't turn you away!"

"Which part of '_I have no choice_' don't you understand?" Malfoy cried. "He'll get mother!"

"Dumbledore can help her, too, Malfoy! She's unmarked, yes? She could work here as a teacher. She'sgot the talent, and there's always an opening for DADA."

Malfoy stopped. "I . . . do you think -" He cut himself off abruptly. "No, Potter. You're just going to turn me in to Dumbledore once I let you go, and then I _will _end up in Azkaban, and mother will be dead."

"Trust me, Malfoy, I won't do that. On my honour."

Malfoy smiled sadly at him. "Slytherins don't trust anyone, Harry." he said, and turned away again, pulling out what Harry thought might have been a portkey.

Harry frowned at the sudden change; from aggressive to withdrawn in a heartbeat. Perhaps there was still hope, after all?

"Draco, I _swear _to you that I will not let the Ministry, or anyone else send you to Azkaban. I'll get Dumbledore to look after you and your mother. I _promise._"

Malfoy slouched down, his hands coming up to hide his face, kneeling at Harry's feet. His shoulders shook, and Harry realised with a jolt of horror that Draco Malfoy, the most unruffled, cool person he knew was crying.

"Shhh, it's alright, Draco," Harry soothed, somewhat uncomfortably. He'd never had much talent at calming people down, and whenever he was given the opportunity, usually chose to walk away from situations such as this.

_Not that I can walk away with these bloody binds he's got me in. _Harry shook his head. It didn't matter. What _did _matter was that they both got out of this safe, and far away from Voldemort's ever-tightening grasp.

"Come on, Draco. Everything's going to be alright. I'm going to go to Dumbledore's office with you just as soon as you untie me, and then we're going to get your mum here so she'll be safe. And then, if you're lucky, Dumbledore will get you your own room so you're safe from other students. And then you can rub that in Ron's face everytime you see him, and we're going to stick together, alright? I'm going to be there for you,

Draco. I promise."

To his dismay, the words he had said to Draco, which were supposed to be comforting, had only caused the blond teen to cry harder.

"No you _won't._" he protested harshly. "You hate me, Harry! Do you think five years of constant fighting can just be forgotten in a second? We both know that's impossible! We've got our separate destinies, and _nothing _either of us do can change all that! You're supposed to kill Voldemort, and I'm supposed to bring you to him, helpless, before you succeed!"

"But -"

"It doesn't matter what we want, Harry." Draco sighed in resignation. "It's not going to change anything."

"You're being stupid, Malfoy." Harry spat at him. "How you of all people could be so idiotic is beyond me."

"You can't save everyone." Draco said in a pained voice. "You can't help me. I'm unredeemable."

"Come here," Harry snarled at him.

"Don't speak to me like that." Draco snapped back. "It doesn't matter what you do, I'm still in charge here - and you've got to go. I'm sorry, Harry. I never thought I'd say this, but I don't want you to die."

"Draco - wait! There is a way! Just come here!" Harry's voice rose shrilly. "Please!"

Still not listening to him, Draco toyed with the portkey, frowning.

"Draco! Listen!"

Ignoring him, the blond leaned forward over the portkey.

"Just - there's just one more thing I want to do before you send me off," Harry babbled nervously. Everything depended on Draco's choice. "Please. Just let me do this."

The blond sighed and looked up. "Will it take long?"

Harry shook his head. "No. Just come over here, please,"

"You better not try to punch me or bite me, Potter," Draco grumbled and moved over to Harry's side. "Well?"

Without hesitation, the brunette leaned towards the blond, pressing their lips gently together. He strained his arms against the bonds holding him tight, pressing deeper into the kiss. One of them moaned, and Harry wasn't sure if it was him or Draco, but it didn't matter in the end anyway, because all this tension was just dissolving, and it felt so good to be kissing Draco when they'd both so obviously wanted it - needed it , even - for such a long time . . .

When they finally came up for air, Draco smiled shyly; the happiest and most welcome expression Harry had seen on his face for a long time. "How did you know . . .?" he asked hesitatingly.

"I'm not as clueless as everyone thinks I am," Harry said with a lopsided smirk.

"I find that hard to believe," Draco teased.

The brunette coughed, and muttered something about an invisibility cloak, blushing profusely. "We need to get you up to Dumbledore now, anyway," he said before Draco could question him further. "Untie me?"

With a wave of his wand, Draco unbound Harry and offered him his hand -

_And suddenly, he found himself standing before Harry Potter, his hand extended in an offer of friendship and safety to the boy, only to be rejected and scoffed at for long years to come, when all he wanted was Harry's friendship - _

Draco's flashback was cut off when he felt a rough, callused hand tightening around his. He smiled at the present Harry Potter, and allowed himself to be steered out of the empty classroom, Harry's hand clasping his.

As they walked out, Harry kissed Draco's cheek gently. "And who said you were unredeemable?"

**CaitlinNicole**


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